How were the doctors selected? By their peers. Stated Texas Monthly and research company, MSP Communications, the Super Doctors and Rising Stars are “exceptional physicians who have earned the confidence and high regard of their peers.” We're very proud of all of our physicians who are receiving this special, well-earned recognition from their colleagues.

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Congrats to Our Austin Monthly Top Docs

Every year Austin Monthly magazine pulls together a list of the region's 'Top Docs'. While we believe all of our docs are top notch, we are proud to have two of our doctors make this year's list. CongratsDr. Jeffrey Kane and Dr. Karen Keough!

The 2017 list was compiled by Castle Connolly and includes a wide variety of specialists from neurology to rheumatology to oncology. More than 300 local doctors made the list. Check it out here.

Groundbreaking Youth Concussion Study Launches in Texas

The most comprehensive study to date on youth concussions will take place right here in our own backyard.

The University Interscholastic League (UIL), the state’s governing body for public high school sports, is joining forces with the O’Donnell Brain Institute at UT Southwestern Medical Center to track brain injuries among young athletes. This will be the nation’s largest efforts so far to examine the effects that concussions have on kids.

The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) estimates that up to 3.8 million concussions occur annually from sports and other recreational activities. However, reporting on concussions hasn’t been consistent, as a large number of brain injuries go unnoticed because symptoms are mild or moderate.

Youth sports are an incredibly popular pastime in Texas, and so this study could not be performed in a more perfect environment. Our hope is that the research sets a precedent for other states in properly tracking and treating youth concussions, and ensuring that no player sets foot on the field before having ample time to heal.

All states have passed laws and regulations in recent years to monitor youth sports, ultimately making sure they report all concussions suffered and adhere to set standards for when it’s okay to return to play.

Texas boasts more than 800,000 public high school athletes, and the way we respond to and treat concussions could be instrumental in developing a permanent protocol for other states to follow.

The study will track about two dozen sports, including football and girls’ soccer (two of the most common sports to generate concussions), and will record what caused the injury as well as recovery time. A national database for youth brain injuries will also be developed alongside the study.

Team Brainiac Supports Epilepsy Foundation

Several of our Child Neurology staff members joined ‘Team Brainiac’ and took to the trails for the Epilepsy Foundation of Central & South Texas’ 5K fun run/walk in May. The annual event to raise funds for the organization, centered around a superheroes theme, was held on May 20 at Lake Pflugerville.

The real superheroes though are those suffering from epilepsy who face daily challenges and uncertainties marked by debilitating seizures. More than two million Americans are currently diagnosed with the condition, and many of them are children.

Children with epilepsy may have a difficult time functioning in school, sports, and other activities when their physical capabilities are shut down, most often unpredictably, by a seizure.

CNCA is passionately dedicated to treating these children, and supporting their families, so that they can experience as normal a childhood as possible.

The Epilepsy Foundation of Central & South Texas does an excellent job in helping these families in so many ways, and CNCA is in turn exceptionally proud to support them.

“The Epilepsy Foundation of Central & South Texas does so much for the local epileptic community, everything from coordinating seizure clinics, to organizing summer youth camps,” said CNCA’s epilepsy specialist, Dr. Karen Keough. “The chance for a child to attend a summer camp just like any other kiddo, knowing that they will be safe and cared for in the event of a frightening seizure, is a priceless opportunity that we are only too happy to put resources towards.”

The Epilepsy Foundation of Central & South Texas is one of 51 national Epilepsy Foundation affiliates, and serves 79 counties. In addition to summer youth programs, this regional foundation offers medical and social services; seizure management clinics; community, educational, and professional outreach; and employment preparation and coaching for those affected by epilepsy.

New Technology May Predict Autism in Babies

New research shows that doctors may be able to predict autism now at an earlier age than ever using special MRI images of a child’s brain.

Children with a sibling who has autism are thought to have a one in five chance of developing it also. Current diagnostic measures typically detect the condition after two years of age or later when certain signs start to emerge, such as communication or speech issues, or inability to make eye contact.

Results of this new research were recently published in the journal Nature. Here’s what was found:

The babies’ brains that were scanned (at six months, then at one year and two years old) who showed a more rapid growth in the brain’s surface area – or folds of the brain – went on to develop autism.

The rate of brain volume growth in these children was also highly accelerated. Knowing this led to a swifter and more obvious awareness of many common signs of autism, such as delayed speech and limited social interaction.

80% of the 160 babies who were examined and considered high-risk were later given definitive diagnoses of autism at two years old.

“This use of MRI technology to detect autism early on can be quite advantageous,” said Child Neurology Consultants of Austin's, Dr. Dilip J. Karnik. “The earlier we can identify signs of the disorder, whether it be outward through a child’s behavior, or via these valuable images gathered from brain scans, the sooner we can work on helpful therapies and strategies to ensure the child is successful in their learning and social environments.”

The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) reports that most children with autism are not accurately identified until closer to four years of age.

Where to Go for Zika Information

Questions from patients about the Zika virus continue to emerge as health officials uncover more information about the disease. Here are some resources to find the latest information on Zika.

About Zika

The most common symptoms of the Zika virus are fever, rash, joint pain and conjunctivitis (red eyes), usually lasting from several days to a week. It spreads via mosquitoes and sexual transmission. While most infected persons will not need to be hospitalized, becoming infected during pregnancy can cause a serious birth defect called microcephaly and other possible neurological defects.

The number one action you can take to prevent becoming infected is to avoid traveling to “hot zones”. This is especially true if you are pregnant or hoping to become pregnant. You can also take steps to prevent mosquito bites by wearing mosquito repellant and long sleeves and pants.

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Welcome to Our New Practice

Welcome! You may be a new patient or you may have been a patient of ours at our former practice. Either way, you are a part of a new exciting chapter for pediatric neurology care in Central Texas.

Last month, we opened Child Neurology Consultants of Austin, a new private medical practice specializing in neurological disorders. Our goal in opening this practice is to offer an improved experience for you and improved communication with your other medical providers. That means less wait time, more convenient options to book an appointment, easier access to medical information and more.

How will we accomplish this?

We are hiring more schedulers to reduce wait time when booking an appointment over the phone. It takes time to hire the right staff. We hope to soon have all five schedulers trained and available to respond to phone calls.

Our new website allows for online appointment requests. A scheduler will respond within one business day for requests made through our website.

We appreciate your patience during our launch. We know there are bumps in the road, especially in transitioning patients into our new system, but the changes will result in a better overall experience for our families.